Rising front for cameras



Jan. 5,1926. L 1,568,671

C. E. HUTCHINGS RISING FRONT FOR CAMERAS Filed April 14. 1924 .55 ATTORNEYS.

Patented Jan. 5, 1926.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES E. HUTCI-IINGS, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO EASTMAN KODAK COMPANY, OF ROCHESTER, NEV] YORK, A. CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

RISING FRONT FOR CAMERAS.

Application filed. April 14, 1924.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES E. HUTGH- lives, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Rochester, in the county of Monroe and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rising Fronts for Cameras, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact specification. This invention relates to photography and more particularly to photographic cameras. It has for its object to provide a rising front mechanism for cameras in which more than the usual movement can be secured; another object is to provide a suitable light locking device to permit the excessive movement; and still another object is to provide an automatic means for properly positioning the light guard as the front board is moved; other objects will appear from the following specification, the novel features being pointed out in the claims at the end thereof.

In the drawings wherein like reference characters denote like parts throughout:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a camera including a rising front constructed in accordance with and illustrating one form of my invention;

Fig. 2 is a section on line IIII of Fig. 1, with certain parts in a different position for clearness;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary section along the same line as Fig. 2, but with the front moved to its lowermost position;

Fig. 4 is a perspective of a light guard plate and associated parts removed from the .camera, and

Fig. 5 is a section on line V-V of Fig. 1 showing the latching mechanism.

I have shown by way of illustration a view camera equipped with a rising front constructed in accordance with my invention. The camera consists of a base 1 which supports an upright frame member 2 by means of side brackets 3. This frame as best shown in Fig. 2 consists of a front wall 4 spaced from a rear wall 5 having top and bottomwalls 6 and 7 arranged to form a boxlike structure. There is a central opening 8 in the front wall and 9 in the rear wall. The side members 10 of the frame extend beyond the main frame and are grooved at 11 to form a Sl-ideway for the camera front 12. This front preferably consists of a frame Serial N0. 706,582.

The inside ing held by a flange 20 mounted to slide upon studs 21 which pass through slots 22. The lens L is carried by the usual mount 23 which may be held by flange 24 attached to the lens board.

011 the rear wall 25 (the wall facing the bellows B) there are strips 26 of plush to prevent light from entering between the front and the frame 8. lVhen the axis of the lens L passes through the center of the bellows B the front covers the frame 8. In Fig. 2 the extreme rise of the front is shown and the lower wall 27 of the front lies above the edge 28 of frame 8.

In order to form a light tight connection between these walls I provide a light guard 30 in the form of a flat metal plate, as best shown in Fig. 4. This plate is provided with a flange 31 in the center and with flanges 32 at each end. The central flange 31 lies in the path of the inside edge 33 of the camera front. The edges 34 of plate 30 slide in grooves 35 which lie just behind grooves 11 in the frame member 10. Flanges 32 carry coiled springs 37 which are attached to the lower wall 7 of the frame 8 by screws 38.

lVhen the camera front is raised wall 33 will strike flange 31 and move plate 30 upwardly against the pressure of springs 37, thus covering the space between walls 27 and 28. The edges 34: of this plate lie in grooves 35 and thus form light tight joints. The plush strip 26 forms a light tight joint across the top and a second plush strip 26 forms a similar joint across the bottom.

WVhen the lens front is lowered the spring 37 will draw plate 30 downwardly.

attached by screws 4st to the camera front 12. A canreto is pivoted at 46in the cutout portion 47, and carries an operating handle 48. lVhen turned in the direction shown in full lines Fig. 5, the higlrpoints 50 of the cams rest against the ends of bars 40 pressing the springs 43 into binding engagement with the walls 51 adj-acent the slidway 11. This holds the front board firmly in position. lVhen' the handle 4:8 is turned to the position shown in dashed lines Fig. 5 the low points 52 on the cam are opposite the ends 40 of the locking bars and the binding engagement of the springs as is released.

Vith a light guard constructed as above described the front 12 of the camera can be along the line shown at A raised until the lens axis may lie along the line shown at A,'Fig. 2. This indicates its highest position. The ligl'it guard plate 30 is automatically raised when the flange 31 is carried upwardly by the edge 33 of the front. \Vhenthe front 12 is lowered to its lowermost position the axis of the lens lies The guard plate 30 is automatically drawn downwardly by the springs when the front board is lowered.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and" desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

' 1. In a photographic camera, the combination with a. camera front adapted to move in a slideway, of a frame adjacent the slideway, and a -guard' plate adapted to move relative to the'frame, said plate being'engaged and moved by thexcamerar front as the front is moved in'its slideway, whereby light isprevented from.entering between the camera front and frame.

2. In photographic camera, the combination with a camera front adapted to move in. a slideway, of a frame, the camera front being adapted to normally cover the frame, but being slidable from this normal position, and a' light guard plate cooperating with the camera front and fame, a slideway for the plate, and means on the camera front and frame for resiliently holding the plate towards one member and for engaging the plate with the other IDGIl'llJGI', whereby \vhen'the front is moved from its normal position the guard plate will been'gaged and moved-between edges of the front and frame.

In a photographic camera, the combii'iatioirwith a camera front adapted to move in a slideway, of a frame, the camera front being adapted to normally cover the frame, but being slidable from this normal'position, and a light guard plate cooperating with the camera front and frame, a slideway'forthe plate, and means'on the camera front and frame for resiliently holding the plate towards one member and for engaging the plate with the other member, where- 'by when the front is moved from its normal position the guard plate will be engaged and moved between edges of the front and frame, andi'vhen the frame is moved-toward the-frame the resilient ineans will return the guard plate to its initial position.

4. In a photographic camera, the combination with a camera front adapted to move in a slideway, of a'frame carrying the slideway and having an opening over which the camera front may" lie, ruguard plate slidably mounted on the frame being normally spring held away from the opening in the frame and having a projection extending into the path of the camera front whereby when the camerafront is moved from the frame the guardplate will be moved as soon as the projection is struck by the front, and will be moved to a protecting position.

In a photographic camera, the combination with a camera front adapted to move in a slideway, of a frame carrying the slideway and having an opening over which the camera front may lie, a guard plate slidably mounted on the frame being normally spring held away from the opening inv the frame and having a projection extending into the path-of the camera front whereby when the camera front is moved toward the frame the guard plate will be drawn by the sp'ringtoward the frame. I

6. In a photographic can'iera, the combi nation with a camera front adapted to move in a slideway, of a slideway support including a frame having an opening which is normally closed by the front, a guard plate cooperating with the front and frame to cover edges of the frame and front when the front is moved to one position, and means to automatically move the guard plate out of alignment with the opei'iing of the frame when the front is moved to another position. a

7. In a photographic camera, the combination with a camera front adapted to'move in a slideway, of a slideway support including a frame. having an opening which is normally closed by the front, a guard plate cooperating with the front and frame being adapted to be moved to an operative guarding position by the front.

'8; In a photographic camera, the combination with a camera front adapted to move in a slideway, of a'slideway support including a frame having an opening which is normally closed by the front, a guard plate cooperating with the front and frame being movable to an operative position, and springsfor moving the guard plate to the last named position.

i); In combination, a photographic camera having a front adapted to more in a. slideway, a frame supporting the slideway, a second slideway in the frame, and a guard 

